The United Tribes of Michigan (comprising 12 recognized Indian tribes in the northern part of the state) recently adopted a resolution opposing removal of federal protections for wolves and calling on people to recognize the historical and ecological significance of wolves. It’s a message closely aligned with that of The HSUS, and we are glad to stand with these tribes and so many others who live with wolves and don’t want to see them slaughtered for no good reason. In November, Michigan voters trounced two wolf hunting and trapping ballot measures, and explicitly decided not to cede control of hunting and trapping decisions to the Michigan Natural Resources Commission.

Michigan and Wisconsin wildlife agencies have now officially appealed a December 2014 ruling by a U.S. District Court that restored federal protection for wolves. That’s no surprise, since these state agencies prematurely conducted wolf-killing programs and provided a primary impetus for the court’s action with their reckless actions. The killing programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin showed a special ruthlessness and cruelty. Among the hundreds of animals killed for sport this year alone, 60 percent of the animals were killed with the aid of steel-jawed leghold traps. Wisconsin earned the distinction of even allowing hound hunting of wolves – a circumstance that almost invariably led to an animal fighting situation between the wolves and the hunting dogs.

While we believe the American public is decidedly against the sport killing of the small populations of wolves in the Great Lakes and the Northern Rockies, we have tried to offer a constructive solution that bridges the political and cultural divide on the issue. To that end, we recently petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to downlist wolves from endangered to threatened everywhere in the lower 48 states except the Southwest. This will maintain important federal protections for wolves, but it will give the federal government, and therefore the states, more latitude in conducting control programs, including lethal ones, for wolves causing a problem for ranchers or other private property owners.

Unfortunately, several lawmakers, mainly from the wolf range states, want Congress to remove federal protections for wolves. They are seeking to nullify the judicial branch’s careful examination of the unwarranted delisting actions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In short, these lawmakers don’t like the court ruling, so they are trying to overturn it. That’s not the way our system should work, and it’s a threat to every endangered species when Congress, for purely political reasons, takes this sort of heavy-handed approach. The judicial branch is co-equal, not subservient.

We’ll work with the Indian tribes, environmentalists, business owners, scientists, and others in opposing this overreaching action. If the November votes in Michigan are a good indicator of where the public is – and I believe they are – the public is not with these lawmakers and they won’t want anything to do with their killing and cruelty.

The United Tribes of Michigan speaks for so many of us when it declares that “we recognize the wolf has a great significance to our community and has an important place in our culture.”

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America is one of the chosen countries to become home to the beautiful Wolves.
What a privilege to share your country with these beautiful and intelligent creatures, how any principality or person could want to destroy them is beyond me, apart from the important part they play in your ecology system…..PLEASE stop the hunting of this beautiful creature, and allow them the space to live out their lives they way it was intended……

Are we in the 18th century again? What is it with people who want to trap animals in steel-jawed leghold traps, or run them down with dogs? Are they little red riding hood, afraid of the big bad wolf? Just leave them alone, morons!

I hope the taxpayers in the states that wants to continue to slaughter wolves keep track of the politicians that have been pushing this cruelty and kick all of them out of office at the first opportunity.

The people of the Great Lakes Regions are working hard to stop the slaughter of our much valued wolves. My husband and I are in Minnesota and the groups here have worked to change the wolf hunting law that was passed through our state on a budget bill. Sad and alarmed to say, we the people, even 70 thousand strong have little voice in our state government.

Read Farley Mowatt’s ,”Never Cry Wolf”. Look at your dog. Ask yourself why human’s are the most dangerous predators. You will change your opinion of the few remaining wolves and humans who have fr exceeded population limits!

I will NEVER vote for anyone running for Congress or Senate that does not take an issue like this seriously. Anyone that would kill wolves for sport is INHUMANE and does not deserve to be in any type of public office. Wolves are absolutely one of the most beautiful creatures God has bestowed to us… Stop the EVIL. Keep our wolves protected from those who have no soul.

These gorgeous animals should be protected and allowed to live unmolested by man. God put all animals on earth for a reason. Whether or not we understand or agree with Him, it should only be determined only by God whether or not these magnificent animals are destroyed. Extinction is the right of the Creator, not mankind.

I am a memember of The Southern Cherokee Nation. We have clans. I’m a member of the wolf clan. In the old days the Wolf Clan were the keepers of the wolves. Also if one became a problem it was our responsibility to handle it. We were also the protectors of the wolves as well. I don’t like hearing of wolves being slaughtered for no apparent reason. I’m glad something is being done to help the wolves.

The Humane Society of the United States is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to The Humane Society of the United States are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390.